coyle



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. M. OOYLE.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING WATER.

N0. 364,199. Patented May 31, 1887.

m 1 a A F l I I I x llr. I x I I ll u A -i .1. 11...! :11-111 5--. J 11m m n n n u u 7. V A n R a m u u A N E ill fl 1 I n l l I l I A IIll-Illlllll llllll ll WITNESSES (No Model.) 4'Sheets-Sheet 2..

A. M. COYLE.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING WATER.

No. 364,199. Patented May 31, 1887.

L l 4% Q WITNESSES INVENTO M. E mi-WW5 I 7 W W 6% (No Model.) 4Sheets-Sheet 3.

A. M. COYLE. METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING WATER. No. 364,199.Patented May 81, 1887.

N. Penna PhotwLiXnngraphcr. WashingQon, D c

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

A. M. GOYLE.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING WATER. N0. 364,199. I PatentedMay 31,1887.

W'---------- o z W a J J N4 FETiRs, PhohrLi'Mgnpher. Wzshlnglon, D. c.

UNITED Sira'rns PATENT @Orrrcs.

ANDREYV M. COYLE, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

'METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISTILLING WAT-ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,199, dated May 31,1887.

To CLZZ whom it may concern.-

.Beit known that 1, ANDREW M. Corns, of Washington, in the District ofColumbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in theMethod of and Apparatus for Distilling \Vater and other Fluids, of whichthe following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a still which will be perfectlyself-regulating 1c and effect distillation by an improved economicalmethod of operation.

WVhile the apparatus is intended especially to distill water forlaboratory and domestic use,it may be used for all sorts ofdistillation.

In many cities the water-supply has of late years been most dangerouslycontaminated, and the need of some simple apparatus by which eachhousehold may, with the utmost facility and minimum of expense, obtainan abundance of practically chemically pure water has been seriouslyfelt. A leading object of this invention is to supply that want.

I will now describe a specific,practicahand desirable form of theinvention, without, however, in any manner limiting myself to thespecial details of construction.

In the accompanying draw1ngs,Figure 1 is a front View, the drip-pipe 7L2and jacket G- of,

the retort being cut away on the line Z Zof Fig. 0 2. The interiorconstruction is illustrated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a verticaltransverse sec tion; Fig. 3, a detail view illustrating the applicationof the apparatus to an ordinary domestic range; Fig. 4-, a perspectiveview of a 5 still with the jacket of the retort partly broken away, andFig. 5 a detail view illustrating a modified construction by which thestill is adapted either for alcoholic or water distillation.

The condenser A is shown as rectanular in cross-section. consists of ajacket or casing within which one or more flat condensing tubes orpassages, 13, are arranged, one tube onlybeing shown in the drawings.Its upper end is open and extends nearly to the top of the jacket of thecondenser, and the lower end is also shown as open for the discharge ofthe condensed distillate. ater is supplied from any suitable ,0 sourceof constant supply to the condensingjacket through a pipe, a, connectedat thcbot tom of the condenser. At a an overflow or It is of the Liebigtype, anddischarge pipe is connected with the jacket and carried upoutside of the condenser and retort to the proper height to maintain the5 desired water-level in the jacket, and also in the retort ordistilling-drum, as is presently described. A retort, 0, preferablycircular, is arranged alongside the upper portion of the jacket A and issupplied with water by a pipe,

steanrspace of the retort O and a compartment, 1), in the upper end ofthe jacket A. This compartment opens into the top of the coudensingtubeB through lips d,which enter the tube sufficiently to produce slightaspira- 7 5 tion should steam be blown through them.

If heat be applied to the retort G by means of the ordinary Bunsengas-burner, E, (which is illustrated as supported by arms or bracketsprojecting from the condenser-jacket,) or St: otherwise, steam generatedtherein will pass into the compartment D and blow down thecondensing-tube B. The steam in condensing gives up its heatto theascending water in the condenser, which is thereby highly heated andenters the retort at c at about the boilingpoint.

The automatic operation and the organiza tion thus far described are,.sofar as I am aware, new. It, therefore, there were no communication fromthe surface of the water in go the jacket A to the open top of thecondensing-tube, the construction and operation would be within thescope of my invention. In order, however, to improve the economicaloperation and obtain better results, I make the still by preferenceaccording to the principle involved in the construction illustrated forthe following reason: Theaspiratingaction of the steam blowing into thetop of the con densing-tube reduces the pressure on the too column ofhighly-heated water in the condenser-jacket and the water bursts intovapor, which is carried by the aspirationdown the condensingtube. Thevapor from the water in the jacket A in condensing gives up less heatthan that from the retort O, and, as the latter is amply sufficient toheat the water to the desired point, proportionally lesscondensing-surface is necessary.

So far as I am aware I am the first to heat the supply-water by thesteam from the re tort and utilize the steam to decrease the pressure onthe surface of the supply-water thus heated, and thereby convertit intovapor. Of course the operation is not dependent on the special apparatusshown.

If desired, the jacket at the water-level may be enlarged to afford agreater surface for vaporization.

The retort is provided with a sediment-tap, F. By opening the tap andsupplying an increased flow of water any sediment in the re tort will bedrawn off.

To prevent waste of heat by radiation, the sides of the retort may beprotected by a jacket, G. Any suitable casing, of asbestus, or any knownmeans for preventing waste by radiation, may, of course, be employed.

The water of condensation may fall into a drip-box, H, provided with oneor more inclined shelves, preferably of wire-gauze, and perforated, asshown at 71, so that the water will be thoroughly aerated. Charcoal, h,or other material, may,if desired, be placed in the bottom of the boX toimprove the taste or quality of the water.

if is the drip-tube or outlet of the box.

Any suitable form of aerator may be attached to the apparatus. Thatshown is, however, deemed entirely suffieient whenever an aerator isdesired.

at 00 represent perforated ears or straps, by means of which theapparatus may be hung upon a wall or carrying board.

In use the apparatusmay be hung on the wall in convenient proximity to awater'cock and gas-tap, if gas is to be used to heat the retort. Theinlet-tube a is connected. with the watcr faucet by means of a piece ofrubber tubing, or otherwise, and the Bunsen burner is similarlyconnected with the gas tap or burner.

The faucet being operated to permit the flow of,

a small stream of water, the condenserjacket, retort, and overflow-pipewill fill until the wa ter reaches the level X Y, at which it will bemaintained by the constant overflow at a. The Bunsen burner beinglighted, steam will be generated in the retort, and the operationindicated in the above description will continuously take place. So longas the flow of water and gas continues the operation is entirelyautomatic, and the apparatus requires absolutely no attention. To workmost economic ally the water-supply should be reduced until the overflowat a is warm. The warm overflow need not be wasted, but may be deliveredinto a vessel for use.

By connecting the overfiowpipe about halfway up the condenser all of thevery hot water at the top is retained and the water-level maintained bythe overflow of merely warm water.

The supply of water at a may be so increased that the overflow will becold.

Any suitable construction for fully utilizing the heat of the burner maybe adoptedas, for instance, such expedients as are resorted to insteam-boilers, &o.

The material of which the still is made may be copper, tin, or any othersuitable metal, and, if desired, may be porcelain-lined.

An apparatus having a capacity of onehalf gallon of distilled water perhour, when burning about six feet of gas, would be of about thefollowing dimensions: The retort, five inches in height and diameter.The outside measurements of the condenser would be sixteen inches long,threeiuches wide,and about th reefourths inch thick; theinteriorcondensing-tube, two and one-half inches wide by one-fourth inch byfourteen and seven-eighthsinches. The aspirating lips or tube (2 may beabout oneeighth inch by two and threeeighths inches. The overflowpipeshould be connected with the condenserjacket about seven and onehalfinches fromthe bottom, and the pipe should be about onehalf inch indiameter. Should the drip-box be dispensed with and the drip-pipe forthe distillate connected directly with the bottom of thecondensing-tube, that pipe should also be about one-half inch indiameter, so as to permit access of air to the interior of thecondensingtube.

The above dimensions were those adopted in several specimen stills whichhad the capac ity above mentioned. I do not, however, limit myself toany particular dimensions.

An apparatus constructed as described may be connected with thewater-back or fire-pot of a range or heater of any kind by pipes S S,(shown in Fig. 3,) which communicate with the retort and the water-backof the heater. With this arrangement water which rises into the retortwill flow down the pipe S to the water-back and till the water-back andpipes S S, and,when heated,will rise through the pipe S into the retort,where it will give off its steam, the operation being precisely the sameas above described. With this arrangement I should prefer to retain theburner E for use when the range is -not burning. Instead of connectingwith the ordinary water-baek, a continuous pipe S S may be passedthrough the fire-pot of the range.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated one way of construction by means of which thestill may be used for alcoholic distillation or the manufacture of fluidextracts. At X, just above the overflowconnection withthejacket,apartition is placed across the jacket, so as to divide itinto two compartments. On each side of the partition there is apipeconnection with the jacket, leading to a common two-way cock, which,when in one position, places the two compartments of the jacket incommunication, so that water may be distilled, as above described. Inthe other position this communication is cut off and the tap Y placed incommunication with the upper compartment of the jacket,

, above the liquid in the vessel.

which may now be fed from a tank or supply bottle, Z, preferably workingautomatically to supply the still at a constant level, as is wellunderstood, with fluid of any kind to be distilled. Obviously all theadvantages incident to the manner of distilling water above describedare here obtained.

The operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 5 is as follows: The bottleZ is located in such relation to the still that the end 2 of pipe Z,which passes through the top of the bottle and extends nearly to itsbottom, is on a level with the desired fluid-level in the retort, thelevel being indicated by the horizontal dotted lines W \V. The vessel orbottle Z is providedwith an" air-valve, Z and with a suitableoutletpipe, Z, provided with a stopcock at its bottom. The air-cock Zbeing open and the outlet coek at Z closed, a quantity of liquid issupplied to the vessel through the tube Z, the displaced air escapingthrough the aircoek. The air-cock is then closed and the cock at Zopened,the pipe Z being connected with thetap Y of the three-way cock bya suitable piece of tubing, the three-way cock of course being in theposition illustrated in the drawings. The liquid in the vessel Z thencommences to flow out into the still an d a partial vacuum is formed Thefull pressure of the atmosphere on the surface of the liquid in the tubeZ will cause the water therein to be depressed to some point-say 0-andfinally to the bot-tom of the tube Z, after which air will pass throughthe tube and ascend through the liquid into the space above.

It is evident that the force required to carry air through the tube Z isa pressure caused by a hydrostatic column equal to the distance from thebottom of the tube Z to the surface of the liquid in Z. Air willcontinue to pass through the tube until the level in the still hasreached. the lower end of the tube, after which the conditions abovedescribed do not exist, because the distance from the surface of theliquid in the still and the surface of the liquid in the vessel Z isless than the hydrostatic column fequired to force air through the tubeZ. As soon, however, as the level inthe still falls below the lower endof the tube Z, air will again pass into the vessel Z, and the liquidflow out to supply the deficiency in the retort of the still.

Of course the still might be fed from a suitable tank of ordinaryconstruction and the level regulated by an overflow-pipe. The overflowwould by preference be taken from the pipe outside of the jacket, andpreferably between the cock and tank.

- I claim as my invention- 1. The herein-described improvement in theart of distillation, which consists in continuously supplying the fluidto the retort, heating said supply-fluid by the vapor of distillationfrom the retort, decreasing the pressure upon the surface of the heatedsupply-fluid by the action of the vapor causing it to vaporize at arelatively low temperature, and then condensing the combined vaporsderived from thefluid.

2. The herein-described improvement in the art of distillation, whichconsists in causing the vaporous distillate on its escape from theretort to produce a second distillation at a lower temperature than thatin the retort by heating the supply-fluid and reducing the pressure onthe surface of the same prior to its entrance into the retort,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the retort,-thecondenser, normallyopen fluid and vapor connections between thecondenser and retort, a fluid-supply pipe connected with the condenser,and an overflow pipe or connection whereby, with a constant fluid-feed,a uniform level is maintained in the condenser and retort. I

l. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the retort, thecondenser, normallyopen fluid and vapor connections between the retortand condenser, a fluid-supply pipe connected with the condenser, and anoverflowpipc connected with the condenser below the retort and carriedup to the proper point to maintain the desired level in the retort andcondenser.

5. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the fluidalistillingretort, alsupplyconduit for conveying the fluid to the retort, and anoverflow pipe or connection communicating with the supply-conduit forthe oven flow of the fluid, whereby, with a constant fluid-leed, auniform level is automatically maintained in the retort, substantiallyas set forth.

6. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the retort, thecondensingjacket, the fluid communication or connection between theretort and jacket, the condensingtube within the jacket, open at itsupper end, a vapor chamber or compartment, and means whereby the vaporfrom the retort may blow into the open end of the condensing-tube, and afluid-su 'iply connect-ionwith the condenser.

7. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the retort, thecondenser-jacket, the interior condenser tube or tubes, the steam orvapor compartment arranged opposite the open end of the condenser-tubeand opening into it, a fluid-connection between the condenser andretort, and a steam-conneetion be tween the retort and saidvaponconipartment, and the fluidsupply and overflow connections.

8. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a Liebig condenser,the fluid-supply connection at one end, the retort arranged opposite theother end of the condenser and communicating therewith by normally-openvapor and fluid connections, and an overflowpipe, for the purposedescribed. 7

9. The combination, substantially as set forth, ofa Liebig condenser,the fluid-supply connection a at one end, the retort arranged from theretort, thereby opposite the other end of the condenser andcommunicating therewith by normally-open ICO or connections of thecondenser, the blow-off tap of the retort, and the protecting-jacket G.

12. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a distilling-retort,a fluid-chamber within which the supply-fluid isheated by the steam orvapor leaving the retort, a condensing-tube which passes through saidfluid, and an aspirating-i'ube through which the vapor from the retortis blown into the condensingtube, for the purpose set forth.

13. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the retort, thecondenser-jacket, a fluid-connection between thejacket and retort, thecondensing-tube therein, a vapor-connection between the retort andcondensing-tube, a partition, X, in the jacket, by which it is dividedinto two compartments, pipe connec' tions by which the upper and lowercompartments of the condensingjacket may be placed in communication withor cut off from each other, and fluid supply and discharge pipes 01'connections for the lower compartment of the condenser.

In testimony whercofl I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ANDREW M. COYLE.

\Vitnesses:

EDWARD G. DAVIDSON, JOHN T. ARMs.

